You would think that as somebody who has built a career as a judge, Fox News host Jeanine Pirro would be a stickler for the law. As it turns out, she’s just like the rest of us who have itches for speed that need scratching. The host of Justice with Judge Jeanine on Fox News Channel was caught speeding on Route 17 in western New York, going 119 mph in a 65-mph zone, according to the New York Daily News. A spokesman for the New York State Police didn’t disclose the fine that was handed to Pirro, but the state’s speeding laws indicate that going more than 41 mph – she was at 54 mph – over the speed limit could result in a ticket worth $600 and 11 points on your license.

Kudos to the judge for admitting to her mistake

“She admitted to the mistake and said she’s prepared for face whatever penalties are in store for her”

I understand the urge. Really, I do. You see a long stretch of road without any cars in it and the itch to floor it becomes too tempting to resist. I’m sure a lot of you have done it before too. But rules are rules, and if you get caught, you’re going to have to pay the piper.

To her credit, Pirro didn’t try to wiggle her way out of the ticket. She didn’t even try to ask for a solid from the state trooper. Instead, she admitted to the mistake and said she’s prepared for face whatever penalties are in store for her. I had been driving for hours to visit my ailing 89-year-old mom and didn’t realize how fast I was driving. I believe in the rule of law, and I will pay the consequences,” she said in a statement sent to the Daily News.

No doubt that even if her reasons are valid – it looks to be – she should also know, more than anybody, that breaking the rules and getting caught breaking them comes with consequences. That kind of knowledge and understanding comes with the experience of serving as a county judge and District Attorney for Westchester County.

In the event she has a change of heart, Pirro has until January 8th to contest the charge or pay the fine. It’s highly unlikely that she’ll do either of that after copping out to her mistake, but you never know.

A lesson for all of us

“Going more than 41 mph over the speed limit could result in a ticket worth $600 and 11 points on your license.”

At the risk of sounding preachy, it’s important for all of us to understand why these laws are put in place. It’s all about safety, not just for us as drivers, but for the other commuters as well. It’s not cool to break speeding laws, even if the itch becomes a little too unbearable.

There are places where we can go balls-out with our cars for as long as we like, but a highway isn’t one of them. As tempting as it sounds, the consequences of getting caught far outweigh the rush of going triple digits on a long stretch of road. At best, you can get caught, pay a fine, and maybe get your license suspended. At worst, you can kill yourself or someone else. Given the choices, the best course of action when that itch to blast off occurs is no action at all.